Geb, god of Egypt

Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses for kids - Geb

The Mythology & History of ancient Egypt surrounding Geb, the god of vegetation and the dead

Geb, god of EgyptDiscover the legends and myths and religious beliefs surrounding Geb, the Egyptian god of vegetation and the dead, representing the earth in which the deceased was laid and closely associated with the Underworld. Geb was the son of Shu and the goddess Tefnut. The god Geb, and his sister and consort Nut, had four children named Osiris, Isis, Set and Nephthys. Geb was also referred to as "Erpa" meaning the "hereditary chief" of the gods, and the "father of the gods," in reference to his famous children Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys. Additional, interesting facts and information about ancient Egypt, and its mysterious gods and goddesses, is also available via:

Who was Geb?Geb was the Egyptian god of the god of the dead, representing the earth in which the deceased was laid and was therefore closely associated with the Underworld. Egyptian gods and goddesses closely resembled the appearance of humans, many of their gods were also perceived as 'human hybrids' depicted with human bodies with the heads of animals. Geb is depicted with a goose above his head The ancient Egyptians did not usually worship animals, these symbols were used as a recognition aid and a device to visually convey the powers, identity and attributes of the deity.

Facts about GebThe following facts and profile provides a fast overview of Geb:

Geb Profile & Fact File

Egyptian Name:

Geb

Role & Function:

The function of Geb is described as being the god of the Underworld

Status:

Geb was a member of the Ennead, the name given to the nine original, most important, Egyptian Gods and Goddesses of the cosmogony of Heliopolis (the birthplace of the Gods)

Symbols:

The Goose

Alternative Names:

Seb or Erpa. Also Keb, Kebb or Gebb

Gender:

Male

Name of Wife:

Nut

Name of Father:

Shu

Name of Mother:

Tefnut

Names of Children:

Osiris, Isis, Set and Nephthys

Hieroglyphs and Pictures of Geb in Egyptian MythologyGeb, the Egyptian god of the Underworld, featured in the stories, myths and legends in Egyptian Mythology. The pictures of Geb tell us about the god - you can start to learn the mysterious Egyptian symbols and secrets of Egyptian hieroglyphs. Geb was the "hereditary chief" or the "father of the gods" and he was the first king, or pharaoh, of Egypt and is seen wearing the the headdress of a ruler of Egypt. These ceremonial headdresses were either the Nemes which was the striped head cloth or the plain cloth Khat that were worn by the pharaohs These royal headdresses were tied at the back of the head with lappets, decorative flaps, that fell down either side of the face. Geb is also depicted wearing the ceremonial 'Osird' or “the divine beard" with an upward pointing curl. Living pharaohs wore a beard with a straight edge. Only when they died could they wear the “osird”.

Hieroglyphs and Pictures of Geb - the Goose SymbolWe now come to the peculiar goose! According to ancient Greek mythology and legend he is identified with the goose, the bird which, in later times was sacred to him as he was believed to have made his way through the air in the form of a goose. The word "seb," was also used as a name of the god in reference to a "peculiar species" of goose of the same name. Seb is the Egyptian name for a certain species of goose. Finally, the symbol of the goose is in allusion to the idea that he made the primeval egg from which the world came into being. He is therefore often called the "Great Cackler". The pictures of hieroglyphics depicting Geb shows the goose standing or sitting on the head of the god.

Geb - Egyptian gods & Mythology for Kids - Green skinGeb is also pictured with green colored skin, like Osiris. Green colored skin symbolizes rebirth and regeneration with white clothing reflecting the white of mummification - direct references to the Egyptian Underworld (called Duat). Both Osiris and Geb were pictured with green skin, but at times were also shown with black skin that symbolized death and the Afterlife. Any gods with black symbols (like the black headed jackal symbol of Anubis) were closely connected with death and the Afterlife. The white robes of Geb are symbolic of the wrappings of a mummy.

Symbols of GebGeb is depicted holding the Ankh. The Ankh symbol, also known as key of life, was depicted as a "cross with a handle" The Ankh represented physical life, eternal life, immortality and reincarnation. In the following picture he is seen reclining on the ground with one hand stretched out upon it. The heavens are depicted in the form of a women whose body is covered with stars. She is the goddess Nut, his consort.

Geb in ancient Egyptian MythologyAccording to ancient Egyptian mythology Geb and his consort Nut, were inseparable leaving no space between the sky and the earth for Atum Ra to continue creating. On the orders of Atum, the father of Geb and Nut called Shu, forcibly separated the brother and sister, who were also married to each other. Shu raised the goddess Nut up to form the sky. In the following picture Shu is depicted standing over the figure of Geb, struggling to get up to reach Nut. Shu prevents him and raises his arms to hold up the giant symbolic figure of Nut depicted as the sky.

Geb

Geb

Interesting research information and Facts about the Egyptian god Geb

Geb, the Egyptian god of the Underworld

Stories and Legends in Egyptian Mythology associated with Geb

Facts and information about the gods and deities of of classical Egypt for schools, research and kids

Geb, the Egyptian god of the Underworld

Facts about Geb in Egyptian MythologyDiscover interesting information and research facts about Geb, the Egyptian god of the Underworld. The facts about Geb provides a list detailing fascinating additional info to increase your knowledge about Geb in Egyptian Mythology.

Mythology and Facts about Geb

Fact 1 about Geb:

He was originally the god of the earth, but later he became a god of the dead as representing the earth wherein the deceased was laid

Fact 2 about Geb:

He was so admired as a ruler, that the Egyptian throne was known by the epithet, "Seat of Geb."

Fact 3 about Geb:

He also symbolized the valleys and hills of the land, which was called "The House of Geb" just as the air was called the "House of Shu,", the Underworld the "House of Osiris" and the heaven the "House of Ra"

Fact 4 about Geb:

He is one of the gods who watch the weighing of the heart of the deceased in the ceremony of justification in the Hall of the Two Truths

Fact 5 about Geb:

In ancient Greek mythology he became identified with the Greek god Cronus.

Fact 6 about Geb:

Heliopolis was the birthplace of the company of the gods and Geb was a prominent member of the 'divine family'